Read Online Protecting the Pregnant Witness by Julie Miller - Free Book Online
Authors: Julie Miller
Tags: Suspense
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Kansas City?”
Detective Montgomery closed his notebook and made a grim pronouncement. “Because he doesn’t like loose ends, sir. He was trained to clean up any mistake. A witness saw him commit murder, saw a version of his adult face. He won’t leave the area until he silences that witness.”
Enough profiling mumbo-jumbo. If Montgomery was right, then it was only a matter of time before the RGK went looking for Josie. “Do you have plans to put that witness in a safe house?”
To his credit, Spencer Montgomery didn’t seem surprised that Rafe had just stuck his nose into what was typically a matter for detectives and uniforms who interacted with the public on a more regular basis than SWAT cops. “That witness is anonymous, and will remain so until we have a man in custody and a positive identification has been made.” He turned and nodded to Chief Taylor. “That’s our report, sir.”
“All right then, ladies and gentlemen—let’s find this guy.” The rustle of notepads closing and papers being tucked away indicated the end of the morning briefing, but no one moved from their seat until Mitch Taylor gave the word. “Watch your backs out there. Dismissed.”
Rafe pushed his way through the exodus filing from the conference room, zeroing in on the shock of red hair moving into the hallway ahead of him. “Montgomery!” He excused himself past a pair of chatty detectives and caught up to him. “I want to talk to you.”
Signaling his partner to go ahead, Montgomery turned from the flow of traffic toward the main room’s maze of cubicles and stepped aside to get a drink of water from the nearby fountain before he answered. “I’m aware you have a personal connection to my investigation, Sergeant Delgado.” He straightened to face Rafe. “Ironic, isn’t it, that two of the RGK’s intended victims have wound up under the personal protection of SWAT Team One. An outside observer might think your team is interfering with my investigation.”
Rafe wasn’t interested in irony or explaining that Montgomery might be investigating two more deaths instead of attempted murders if members of his team hadn’t stepped up to keep those targeted women safe. “You need to set up some kind of protection for Josie Nichols. Did she even agree to this? It’s a damn stupid strategy to publicly announce that she’s seen the Rich Girl Killer.”
Montgomery leaned forward and hushed his voice. “Am I the one who just said her name out loud? And yes, she agreed to look at a lineup for me. She’s like her dad in that regard—not afraid to do her public duty.”
“Are you sure you explained the risk she was taking? That you didn’t con her into identifying a serial killer? That profile you gave could be you, you arrogant son of—” Rafe raked his fingers through his short hair, taking a breath while another officer walked past. Then he dropped his voice to match the detective’s terse whisper. “You care more about your case than any collateral damage you may cause. She’s vulnerable to that bastard, and you know it.”
“She’s the safest woman in Kansas City, if you ask me.” The detective’s light-colored eyes looked dead serious. He gestured toward Rafe. “Everywhere she turns, she’s surrounded by cops. Big brother. At the Shamrock. All those friends of her father’s. What killer is going to risk approaching her?”
“What about when she’s at home? Alone.”
“Like I said…she remains completely anonymous. Hidden in plain sight.” He shrugged and buttoned the front of his suit jacket. “Unless you slip and tell someone her name, like you did just now. I know I won’t.”
Rafe burned inside, warring with the need to throttle some sense into Josie—seemingly out to singlehandedly save Kansas City from a serial killer when she should be concentrating on taking care of herself and the baby—and simply wanting to throttle Spencer here for taking advantage of her willingness to help
Detective Montgomery closed his notebook and made a grim pronouncement. “Because he doesn’t like loose ends, sir. He was trained to clean up any mistake. A witness saw him commit murder, saw a version of his adult face. He won’t leave the area until he silences that witness.”
Enough profiling mumbo-jumbo. If Montgomery was right, then it was only a matter of time before the RGK went looking for Josie. “Do you have plans to put that witness in a safe house?”
To his credit, Spencer Montgomery didn’t seem surprised that Rafe had just stuck his nose into what was typically a matter for detectives and uniforms who interacted with the public on a more regular basis than SWAT cops. “That witness is anonymous, and will remain so until we have a man in custody and a positive identification has been made.” He turned and nodded to Chief Taylor. “That’s our report, sir.”
“All right then, ladies and gentlemen—let’s find this guy.” The rustle of notepads closing and papers being tucked away indicated the end of the morning briefing, but no one moved from their seat until Mitch Taylor gave the word. “Watch your backs out there. Dismissed.”
Rafe pushed his way through the exodus filing from the conference room, zeroing in on the shock of red hair moving into the hallway ahead of him. “Montgomery!” He excused himself past a pair of chatty detectives and caught up to him. “I want to talk to you.”
Signaling his partner to go ahead, Montgomery turned from the flow of traffic toward the main room’s maze of cubicles and stepped aside to get a drink of water from the nearby fountain before he answered. “I’m aware you have a personal connection to my investigation, Sergeant Delgado.” He straightened to face Rafe. “Ironic, isn’t it, that two of the RGK’s intended victims have wound up under the personal protection of SWAT Team One. An outside observer might think your team is interfering with my investigation.”
Rafe wasn’t interested in irony or explaining that Montgomery might be investigating two more deaths instead of attempted murders if members of his team hadn’t stepped up to keep those targeted women safe. “You need to set up some kind of protection for Josie Nichols. Did she even agree to this? It’s a damn stupid strategy to publicly announce that she’s seen the Rich Girl Killer.”
Montgomery leaned forward and hushed his voice. “Am I the one who just said her name out loud? And yes, she agreed to look at a lineup for me. She’s like her dad in that regard—not afraid to do her public duty.”
“Are you sure you explained the risk she was taking? That you didn’t con her into identifying a serial killer? That profile you gave could be you, you arrogant son of—” Rafe raked his fingers through his short hair, taking a breath while another officer walked past. Then he dropped his voice to match the detective’s terse whisper. “You care more about your case than any collateral damage you may cause. She’s vulnerable to that bastard, and you know it.”
“She’s the safest woman in Kansas City, if you ask me.” The detective’s light-colored eyes looked dead serious. He gestured toward Rafe. “Everywhere she turns, she’s surrounded by cops. Big brother. At the Shamrock. All those friends of her father’s. What killer is going to risk approaching her?”
“What about when she’s at home? Alone.”
“Like I said…she remains completely anonymous. Hidden in plain sight.” He shrugged and buttoned the front of his suit jacket. “Unless you slip and tell someone her name, like you did just now. I know I won’t.”
Rafe burned inside, warring with the need to throttle some sense into Josie—seemingly out to singlehandedly save Kansas City from a serial killer when she should be concentrating on taking care of herself and the baby—and simply wanting to throttle Spencer here for taking advantage of her willingness to help
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